Q. How much trust do you have in the following institutions and organisations?

Total
trust
26
Sep
11

Total
trust
12
Jun
12

Total trust
22
Oct
12

Total trust
18
Mar
13

A lot of trust

Some trust

A little trust

No trust

Don’t know

% change

The High Court

72%

60%

63%

74%

34%

40%

13%

6%

8%

+11

The ABC

46%

54%

59%

70%

22%

48%

17%

6%

7%

+11

The Reserve Bank

67%

49%

53%

64%

21%

43%

21%

8%

7%

+11

Charitable organisations

61%

50%

53%

52%

9%

43%

33%

9%

6%

-1

Environment groups

45%

32%

36%

41%

6%

35%

33%

20%

7%

+5

The Commonwealth Public Service

49%*

30%

33%

36%

4%

32%

37%

17%

9%

+3

Federal Parliament

55%

22%

26%

34%

4%

30%

31%

29%

6%

+8

Your local council

na

na

32%

34%

3%

31%

39%

22%

6%

+2

TV news media

na

21%

26%

30%

4%

26%

46%

20%

4%

+4

State Parliament

na

na

25%

30%

4%

26%

32%

31%

6%

+5

Newspapers

na

26%

31%

30%

3%

27%

43%

22%

5%

-1

Religious organisations

29%

27%

31%

27%

5%

22%

29%

37%

7%

-4

Online news media

na

23%

28%

27%

3%

24%

48%

20%

6%

-1

Business groups

38%

22%

25%

26%

3%

23%

42%

23%

9%

+1

Trade unions

39%

22%

23%

25%

4%

21%

31%

36%

7%

+2

Political parties

na

12%

16%

12%

1%

11%

36%

45%

6%

-4

Note: ‘Total Trust’ is an aggregate figure achieved by adding ‘A lot of trust’ and ‘Some trust’. * This Commonwealth Public Service figure is from a question asked in 6 Feb 12.

Since this question was last asked in October, there has been a significant increase in trust in the High Court (+11%), the ABC (+11%), the Reserve Bank (+11%) and the Federal Parliament (+8). Trust in the High Court and Reserve Bank is back to similar levels to that recorded in 2011.

Respondents had most trust in the High Court (74%), the ABC (70%), the Reserve Bank (64%) and charitable organisations (52%). They had least trust in political parties (12%), trade unions (25%), business groups (26%), online news media (27%) and religious organisations (27%).

Compared to the average, Labor voters had more trust in the ABC (77%), environment groups (50%), the Commonwealth Public Service (44%), local councils (42%), Federal Parliament (43%) and trade unions (41%).

Liberal/National voters, compared to the average, had a little more trust in religious organisations (31%) and TV news media (35%).